Host the Ultimate Brunch

• Choose three or four add-ins—whatever appeals to you—leeks, shallots, onions or chives; fresh or roasted bell peppers; broccoli or cauliflower; kale or spinach; mushrooms or wild mushrooms; diced or crumbled sausage; shredded leftover meats; bacon or ham…use your imagination. You know what tastes good.
• Pre-cook the add-ins as needed, so they’re already softened and have released their natural moisture. That’s important, because you don’t want soggy eggs.
• Lightly oil a heavy ovenproof skillet or pan, and spread up to 2 or 2 1/2 cups of add-ins evenly across its surface. Season them with salt, pepper, garlic or other flavorings, and sprinkle them lightly with your favourite shredded cheese.
• Beat 6 to 8 eggs, and pour them over the fillings. Tilt the pan, so they spread from edge to edge. Cook the eggs over moderate heat for just one or two minutes, until the edges begin to set.
• Top the eggs with more cheese or buttered croutons, if you wish, and slide the pan into a preheated oven at 200 degrees Celcius. After 8 to 10 minutes, when the eggs are fully set and the cheese is bubbly, it’s ready. 

Frittatas are a reliable brunch option.. Ideally your frittata would be surrounded by a range of other eye-pleasing, mouthwatering choices. For example, you might offer a stack of crepes alongside bowls of fresh fruit and whipped cream to fill them. Hollow out a baguette, stuff it with eggs, cheese and cooked fillings, and bake it to bubbly golden goodness in the oven. Baked French toast is always appealing, or you could give it a savory twist by layering cheese and ham between the layers for a sort of large-scale Monte Cristo. Give traditional side dishes a makeover, glazing good bacon or sliced ham with honey or maple syrup and baking until richly caramelized. 

A good recipe app can help you find recipes you want to try out. Once you’ve got them, your device makes an excellent interactive cookbook. Whenever possible, look for recipes that can be made or at least prepared ahead of time. Prepare or buy your crepes and refrigerate them and cut up any fruit or vegetables. Dice, shred or crumble the meats and stash them in the refrigerator. Prep your baked French toast or breakfast casseroles and leave them overnight to soak up the eggs. 

On the day, keep things simple by taking advantage of the Dual Cook oven. Slide in the divider, so you can bake last-minute items at a high temperature while using the other half as a warming oven to keep prepared foods hot. When mealtime arrives, you’ll have all the food organised and table-ready. Remember, although lingering over the table is part of the pleasure of a leisurely brunch, any leftover foods should be whisked away to the refrigerator once you’ve finished eating. Pack them into flat containers and pop them back into your fridge.